Pietermaritzburg

A Pietermaritzburg man (34) who raped his eight-year-old daughter was told by a judge on Wednesday that he failed to understand what possessed the man to commit such a callous act. Judge Herbert Msimang imposed a 20-year jail sentence on the man.

A Greytown farm worker was convicted of murder on Thursday after telling the Pietermaritzburg High Court that he hacked two woman co-workers to death with an axe last week, robbed them then burnt their bodies. Acting Judge Jerome Mnguni convicted Siphiwe Ndlovu (35) of murder and aggravated robbery.

A South African National Defence Force corporal and his accomplice — hired by a Pietermaritzburg taxi boss to kill a rival taxi operator — received life sentences in the city’s high court on Tuesday. The late Jika Joe Dlamini, a taxi boss, paid the two men R3 000 each to kill a rival, Simphiwe Kansas Mkhize.

A Newcastle man sentenced to five years in jail for two counts of theft after illegally selling electricity through a machine stolen from Eskom had his sentence cut to a R10 000 fine by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday. Petros Lashani Ndlovu was earlier convicted in the Newcastle Regional Court of stealing an Eskom credit-dispensing unit.

Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturer Thint are now waiting for Judge Phillip Levensohn to decide whether to sign a letter asking Mauritius to release documents relating to Zuma’s role in the arms deal. The documents include the 2000 diary of Alain Thetard, former chief executive of Thales International’s South African subsidiary, Thint.

The state would only need documents held in Mauritius if the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decides to prosecute former deputy president Jacob Zuma, the Pietermaritzburg High Court heard on Friday. Zuma’s advocate, Kemp J Kemp, told the court: ”It is not necessary for them to have these documents at this time.”

Benoni Premier United held Maritzburg United to a one-all draw in a Castle Premiership match at the Harry Gwala stadium on Friday night. The visitors have themselves to blame for the draw, having dominated for the better part of the game.

Maritzburg United pushed AmaZulu FC deep into the relegation zone when they beat them 2-0 in a Castle Premiership game played before a capacity crowd at Princess Magogo Stadium on Sunday afternoon. United led 1-0 at the interval. United played without their top goal scorer Sandile Ndlovu who had a neck injury.

Pleading guilty to the murder of Anglo-Zulu war historian David Rattray on Friday, a 23-year-old man said that robbery was the motive for his gang’s invasion of the Rattray property last week. An unnamed co-accused appeared in the Dundee Magistrate’s Court earlier on Friday.

Michael Mbanjwa made history on Thursday in the first stage of this year’s edition of the Hansa Powerade Dusi canoe marathon when he placed first. This makes history as he is the first black paddler to ever win the first stage of the three-day event.

Three wickets in seven balls by Lance Klusener and a great throw from Yusuf Abdullah that ran out troublesome late-order batsman Morne Morkel (11) as he attempted a second run sent the Titans packing on Sunday. Meanwhile, in Cape Town, the Cape Cobras decimated the Lions with a convincing all-round display.

Jacob Zuma and the other major players in his corruption trial will have to wait until September 20 to hear whether or not the matter will be postponed. Judge Herbert Msimang on Thursday reserved judgement on the state’s request for a postponement of the trial of the former deputy president and his co-accused, French arms company Thint.